Imagine waking suddenly on the deck of a ship in the middle of a storm. You’re far out to sea, there isn’t any land as far as you can see. You’re not alone on this ship—your whole family is there with you—but how did you get here? The last thing you can remember is being …
Continue reading “Healing The Family by Enabling Recovery”
Michael Herbert
Support. Asking for support from my family and friends is very hard for me, because I worry about what people think about me. Asking for support is an act of acceptance, and it forces me to admit that I need the help. It’s critical to my #recovery and has made my life so much more …
Continue reading “What Went Well In My Recovery (Part 3)”
Michael Herbert
During the holiday season many families get together for dinner and reunions. For some the holidays are a joyful time, for others it can be too traumatic to endure. The mixture of personalities can and often does bring about a mixture of behaviors. Old memories of events brought to light can make for great conversation. Then …
Continue reading “The Holidays Are Here”
Michael Herbert
My son began smoking pot in middle school when he was fourteen. His grades started declining and he became lethargic and had no interest in anything. He got caught smoking pot in the tenth grade and was expelled. His father and myself decided to send him to a prep school. His situation got worse as he …
Continue reading “From Crisis To Calm”
Michael Herbert
There is a lot of misunderstanding about addiction and how families can help. Stigma and denial play an important role in blocking the recovery process. “I still have a job”, “I’m too young”, and “I’m not that bad”. Somehow the idea of being a “functional addict or alcoholic” validates the continued use. Family members buy into these misconceptions. If the …
Continue reading “Keep It Simple Series Part 2: What Do Families Need to Understand About Recovery?”
Michael Herbert
Asking for help is difficult in any language and any culture. How do we know when we need help? Who to ask for it and how to pay for it? What are our family and friends going to say if we ask for help? How are they going to feel about it? What are people …
Continue reading “Cultural Barriers for Recovery from a Hispanic Perspective”
Michael Herbert
To start let’s talk about treatment and what treatment offers. Treatment offers stabilization for the addict and alcoholic in the acute phase of addiction. Most addicts and alcoholics can stay clean and sober during a detox or inpatient treatment, there are some exceptions. Addiction is that “thing” takes over and even in the best conditions …
Continue reading “What is Structured Family Recovery®?”
Michael Herbert
